Seer asks BJP to take up the cause of Hinduism

Swami Nischalananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Puri, has asked the BJP to take up the cause of the Hindu religion as it was facing threats.

"The BJP has failed to react properly to the decision of the Nepalese government to convert Nepal, the only Hindu country, into a secular state", the seer told BJP chief Rajnath Singh when the latter called on him at his Govardhan Peeth abode in Puri on Thursday night.

The Shankaracharya, who latter spoke to mediapersons, said he told the BJP president that it had not been "doing much" to safeguard the interest of the Hindu religion.

This had led to the exodus of several leaders, including Uma Bharati, from the party which had been weakened, he said.

The seer said he advised Singh to galvanise the party towards this goal (of protecting Hindu interest) by extensively touring the country. "Hindus have to unite for their own existence", he said.

The Shankaracharya also expressed concern over the reports of proselytisation by Christian missionaries in the tribal areas of the country.

Singh, who is here to attend the meeting of organising secretaries of the party in different states, heard the seer and sought his blessings.

Asked to comment on the seer's observations, Singh told reporters in the mutt precincts that the BJP would deliberate on the observations of the Shankaracharya as there were similarity of views between the pontiff and the party.